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Tourism in Parksville & Qualicum Beach
Clockwise from top left, California Sea Lion, Sea Urchin & Sea Star, Ratfish, Basket Star, Anemones, and Wolf eel.
Use Nanaimo, British Columbia to discover the best scuba diving that Vancouver Island has to offer!
Here at <vancouver-island-dive-sites>, I will help you find some of the best temperate water scuba diving locations on the planet.
The diversity and scope of marine habitat here is simply incredible!
From marine invertebrates to all kinds of fish, to killer whales, to natural and purpose sunk shipwrecks.
From shore dives to high current boat dives, for beginners or advanced level divers, use Nanaimo BC, to access the best scuba diving locations Vancouver Island has to offer.
Come join me here on Vancouver Island for great scuba adventures.
Just a short ride from Vancouver BC on bc ferries, (follow link for schedules and fares) will get you to where it all begins.
I will do my best to help you find some great diving adventures right here in one of Canada's best kept secrets.
This is some of the best cold water scuba diving in the world so said
Jacques Cousteau, as well as many other available current reviews.
Amazing scenery and marine life abound and it's all local.
The amount of life and colour to be seen for those of you who are
not familiar with west coast diving will pleasantly surprise you.
Many of the dives also have good to excellent shore access, and are really great dives, not to mention the price is right.
By the way, shore diving is great! call a buddy, load your gear and go. How good, and easy is that!
Another good point I would like to make about diving many of the
local shore dives in either the Nanoose Bay or Nanaimo areas, is that the navigation is almost always zero degrees
out and one eighty return.
It is nice to know there is one less thing to think about when you are diving unfamiliar water.
If you do have a boat or plan to book a charter at Sundown Diving , or Nanaimo Dive Outfitters There many excellent dives to choose from.
Nanaimo's Artificial reefs and high current dives are just some of the spectacular highlights you will encounter.
Nanaimo BC boasts two such reefs, (the H.M.C.S. Saskatchewan and the H.M.C.S. Cape Breton) just outside of departure bay that are both must do dives that are quite spectacular.
As far as current dives go there are many that are tried and tested in the waters surrounding Vancouver Island.
Dodd Narrows, Gabriola passage, and Alcala Point (Porlier Pass) are all spectacular local high current dive sites that will amaze even the seasoned diver!
Nanaimo also boasts the Rivtow Lion, (a purpose sunk wreck right in Departure Bay) that is a perfect dive for the newly certified.
This artificial reef is also in sheltered waters and can be accessed
anytime day or night.
Anyway, let's get started! where would you like to dive?
Please check out these children's books which I have personally written and illustrated. Thanks in advance for your support.
"Vancouver Island Colour My Seas of Green"
and then a second one!
and a third one!
"Vancouver Island Colour My BC Beautiful"
And available now! my 4th and newest release...
"British Columbia Canada Colour My Province Beautiful"
Newly released Feb/2023 is:
Roatan Honduras Colour My Island Paradise
and June/2023
Country Canada Colour Me Beautiful
Details to Follow!
All have rhyming story's to read, and lots of illustrations for kids (or even adults) to colour. These books are fun, and educational activity books providing hours of enjoyment!
Not all retailers carry every edition so please call first!
Direct Email to don.ravensbegen@gmail.com
Thanks again!
Currently available at these Vancouver Island retail outlets
Victoria
Frank Whites Dive Store Phone: 250-385-4713
Duncan & Lake Cowichan
Deans Marine Phone: 250-748-0829
The Lake Mercantile Phone: 250-217-4333
Chemainus & Ladysmith
Chemainus Theatre - Gallery Gift Shop Phone: 250-246-9132
Little Otters Den Phone: 250-245-2042
Salamander Books Phone: 250-245-4726
Nanaimo
Children's Treehouse Phone:250-585-5990
Iron Oxide Art Supplies Phone: 250-591-4766
Island-ish phone: 250-585-1420
Literacy Central Vancouver Island Phone: 250-591-2665
Nanaimo Dive Outfitters Phone: 250-756-1863
Nanaimo Museum Phone: 250-753-1821
Pumpkin Pie Kids Phone: 250-754-3933
Sink or Swim Scuba Phone: 250-758-7946
Sundown Diving Phone: 250-753-1880
Parksville Qualicum
Bumblebaby Boutique Phone: 250-947-9714
TIGH-NA-MARA Phone: 1-800-663-7373
Qualicum Toy Shop Phone: 250-752-1937
Mulberry Bush Bookstore Phone: 250-752-9722
Comox Valley
Courtenay and District Museum Phone: 250-334-0686
Little Village Store Phone: 250-900-1954
Pacific Pro Dive Phone: 250-338-6829
Now also available in Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver!
West Vancouver
Spirit Gallery Phone: 604-921-8972
Sea Dragon Charters Phone: 604-329-3486
These retail outlets are in Duncan/Lake Cowichan, Chemainus/Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Parksville/Qualicum, and Courtenay/Cumberland.
Interested in becoming a vendor? for details please contact me via email at <don.ravensbergen@gmail.com>
Some retailers do not carry all editions, so please phone first!
Thank you for your support!
Sincerely, Don Ravensbergen
Nanaimo, BC, Cda
Please help support my website through the purchase of my
self published Children's Story & Colouring Books
Follow the links to available Vendors
or use my "Contact Page"
Free Nanoose Bay Dive Site Maps
Cold Water Scuba Diving
Vancouver Island Marine Life
You too can build a successful Website! Click here to find out how
Here is an excellent link to
tide and current charts
for Nanaimo, BC.
At the bottom of displayed
chart you will see two links,
"other tide stations" or
"other current stations"
follow these links for
information from California
and right up to Alaska.
Six Gill at Orlebar Point
Puget Sound King Crab
Bait fish in the kelp
Giant Pacific Octopus
Kelp Greenling
Shrimp
Anemonies
The Hideaway in Browning Pass
Moon Snail